Last night , I began what will be  a series of five classes titled “Basic Cooking Techniques” at the Culinary School of the Rockies.  Not only was I beyond excited, but eager to learn new skills and improve bad habits in the kitchen.  One of the major objectives for me  in this series is to liberate myself from recipes.  Recipes are seen as merely formulas which have worked (or not worked) for me based on the ingredients available and the existing conditions.  My ultimate goal is to be the “boss” in my kitchen, and be able to cook with or without recipes, using them as suggestions or guidelines. 

Excited to start class, I was also a little nervous by the techniques and topics I was or wasn’t going to know on the first day.  Chef Michael Montgomery (who’s food experience has been diverse including both regional savory cuisine and pastry arts), provided us with an intensive background of the skills we would be learning and applying both in and out of class.  After going over a few general rules, the evenings menu, and knife skills we seperated into two teams and began to cook!

The techniques/topics covered in our first class:

Blanching and rereshing vegetables , clarifying butter, compound butters, deglazing, flamebeing techniques, knife skills and good kitchen habits, pan sauces, making rice, pestos, portioning, protein cooking theory, sauce vinaigrette, simple salads, toasting nuts

Using these techniques we made our first menu:

Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pesto                                                                                                                                         

Chicken Paillards with Parsnips, Apple, and Sherry Pan Sauce                                                                                                            

Wild and Brown Rice Pilaf with Cranberries                                                                                                                                      

Asparagus with Lemon Parsley Butter and Toasted Pine Nuts                                                                                                               

Green Salad with Vinaigrette                                                                                                                                                                          

Bananas Foster                                          

I learned more than I had anticiapted on the first day. Now the trick will be re-creating and practicing at home before next Monday.  I am really looking forward to attending more classes;  improving my cooking skills through the programs the Culinary School of the Rockies  has to offer.